


Untitled - prompts

by podracing-on-lothal (CelticRomulan)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-03
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2019-01-28 22:48:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12617276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticRomulan/pseuds/podracing-on-lothal
Summary: A collection of short pieces based on a list of writing prompts on Tumblr.





	Untitled - prompts

Nilana felt her pulse quicken as the shuttle approached the surface of Csilla.

 _Home_ , she thought. She was finally returning to her people.

“You’re really quiet,” Eli Vanto commented.

Nilana pulled her hands back into her sleeves and nodded. “It’s just…I’ve never been here before,” she said. “But it looks so much like Scipio from up here.”

Eli chuckled. “I guess you won’t be so homesick after all,” he said.

“It’s not the planet,” Nilana said. “It’s…it’s the people. What if they don’t speak Sy Bisti?”

Eli reached over and placed his hand over her sleeved one, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry,” he said, “Just let me handle the Sy Bisti. Besides, Admiral Ar’alani said yours isn’t too bad.”

Nilana stole a glance over at the older Chiss woman sitting across from them. Ar’alani must have heard her name spoken, as she had looked up from her datapad with a somewhat questioning expression. Nilana promptly looked away…she didn’t want to be caught staring.

It had been so very long since Nilana had seen another female Chiss…her mother had died when she was only five, and since then, Nilana’s memories of speaking Cheunh with her parents had slowly faded away. It wasn’t until today that she had heard it spoken again. It was a strangely beautiful language to listen to.

_And even more beautiful when it’s sung…_

Nilana found herself blushing again. Eli’s touch was soothing, gentle, comforting. She slipped her hand out from her sleeve and clasped his.

“What if they expect us to speak Cheunh?” she whispered.

Eli furrowed his brow and said, “Let’s hope they don’t.”

“Uncle Thrawn says our people don’t use translator droids,” Nilana warned.

Eli opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the shuttle’s alert chime.

<<We are preparing to land>> Admiral Ar’alani said in her heavily accented Sy Bisti. Eli nodded in acknowledgment and let go of Nilana’s hand, giving her a reassuring smile.

*** 

The entry ramp slowly lowered onto the landing platform. Admiral Ar’alani and her retinue of guards were the first to disembark. Eli and Nilana followed behind the guards.

“Watch that last step,” Eli whispered. He took Nilana’s hand as he helped her down.

There was a light dusting of snow on the platform. It crackled under Nilana’s boots as she stepped toward Ar’alani and her guards, who were being greeted by a group of Chiss dressed in tunics of a rich, deep burgundy trimmed with silvery gray.

The colors of the Eighth Ruling Family.

Thrawn’s family.

_My family…_

One of the burgundy-clad Chiss spotted Nilana, and subtly nudged one of his companions next to him. One by one, each Chiss turned to look at the strange girl and the odd little brown alien standing next to her.

{{Ah yes,}} Ar’alani said in Cheunh, {{This is Mitth’raw’nuruodo’s representative from beyond the Ascendancy’s borders.}} She switched to Sy Bisti as she introduced Eli to their welcoming party.

{{And this,}} Ar’alani said, motioning Nilana to step forward, {{This young woman is Fion’ilana’nuruodo, the daughter of your long-lost sister, Mitth’irys’nuruodo. Niece of Mitth’raw’nuruodo. And…a _Je’daii_.}} She noticed the confused looks she was getting and quietly added, “ _Russ’ercen_.”

Nilana could sense it before any of them spoke. She could feel their emotions roiling quietly beneath the surface… _curiosity, confusion, disbelief, a subtle wisp of awe from one of them…_

One of the burgundy-clad Chiss stepped forward and extended his hand.

<<Welcome, Fion’ilana’nuruodo,>> he said in Sy Bisti. <<My name is Mitth’eos’safis. My father, Mitth’ras’safis, is Thrawn’s and Nirys’s brother. Which makes me your cousin.>>

Nilana’s breath caught as her eyes met the other Chiss’s. He couldn’t have been older than thirty. She could see a slight resemblance to her uncle, but his features were softer, less severe. She sensed a warmth behind his gaze that belied a man of compassion, and wisdom beyond his years. She reached forward and shook his hand.

Mitth’eos’safis smiled as he took Nilana’s little hand in both of his. <<Welcome home, little sister,>> he said.


End file.
